One thing about me that I really plan to change this year is the idea of perfection... As a creative person by default, perfection was a word I cherished so much... i used to always try to be perfect in everything I do... maybe because i'm creative by nature or because of how i was raised as a child to always do the right thing and leave no room for mistakes. But as i grew older, i realised that i was even holding myself back the more i strive to be perfect. That's not to say that it is a bad thing to aim for the best or pay attention to details in every areas of our lives, but sometimes, putting a lot of energy into trying to be perfect can be detrimental rather than beneficial.
Back in the days when i was still obsessed with the idea of always trying to be perfect... i always tried to be the best in school, have perfect body shape, have a perfect design career, and above all, ensure that my social media pages all looked perfect. If i achieved all that, then i've made it... that were my thought back then... but the reality is that, there's no such thing as perfection... no human is perfect,,, even when we think we are perfect, there's someone who thinks otherwise...
Last year was the year where it all dawned on me that the whole idea of perfection is a mirage and we aren't living in a perfect world, so why should I or anyone seek perfection?... Yes, I want progress, but I can achieve that in my own way as a human and not a robot who has been programmed. This year 2025 is the year where I've decided to go all in on it.
So, here’s my steps and plan for my progress 2025 without slowing myself down while seeking perfection... This year, I'm definitely focusing on progress, not perfection. I'm going to be sharing my personal progress roadmap... We all know that life isn't always predictable and most times, things don't always go as planned or go our way, but i'm definitely going to do by best and not let perfectionism slow me down.
Explore New Creative Opportunities
As a creative person and a designer, I've always been stuck doing the same thing which is to create stunning designs for individuals and businesses... This time, I'll be exploring other creative opportunities like photography. This is an area that i think will add immense value to my work. Some clients who come to me for my design services sometimes need photography for their products... also, I can use thiss skills to add more value to my services or upscale my services to clients who need them.
Reasoning: For me, true growth happens when someone goes outside his or her comfort zone... In my own case, my comfort zone is my design skills and services but I always miss out of more earning opportunities from client who need other creative services like product photography. Learning this skill would enable me as a small business owner to offer it as an additional service in my business and also create better content on social media for my business. That way i'll have more opportunities to earn more and expand.
My Plan: For me to achieve those skills, i plan to enroll for an online course on photography and understanding how cameras work and dedicate at least 20 hours a week to learn and practice. When I get good enough, I can start by offering my newly acquired skill as a free service to see how clients react before integrating fully into my business as a new service offering.
Learning to Say “No”
Like i've shared in one of my previous posts, I used to be a people pleaser... It was something that I grew up having in me due to how I was brought up to always be humble, be kind to people and love other people as yourself. Maybe I took it too far by always putting people first above me and saying yes to everything... from helping friends even when i'm at a disadvantage, to saying yes to every client request or project even though i know fully well that it is not the right fit for me.
Reasoning: The problem that comes from saying yes to everyone is that it always leads to saying "no" to myself... because in the process of trying to please someone else, i'll be displeasing myself. It is draining... i mean, really really draining... and it usually leaves me with little or no time or energy to cater for myself regardless of what it is. The time i will be spending on my own goals, i will be spending that time pleasing other people. Not saying that helping people is bad... but over the years, i've come to realize that you cannot please everyone... so it is important to find a balance.
My Plan: Trying to always prioritize what truly matters and only focus on helping people that truly need the help. That's because I know that people always try to take advantage of generosity and kind heart.
Next is to always remind myself to always set boundaries... yes, setting boundaries isnt being selfish, it is extremely important for me as a person and for my mental health.
For my business, only say yes to client request or project if they are the right fit for me regardless of what the client offers.
Accepting That Failure Is Part of The Journey
When I was much younger, i was terrified of failing... i used to see failure as the end of the world... this is as a result of my upbringing of always aspiring to be the best either in school or in every day life. This mindset made me terrified of failure. But as i began to grow and expand my knowledge, i began to understand that failure is part of the journey and there's no true successful person that hasnt experienced any form of failure before.
Reasoning: When people think of failure, they usually think it is the opposite of success... which means if you're not successful, it must mean you have failed... But the truth is that failure is not the opposite of success, it is infact a necessity for success... because it is true failing that a person can know what doesnt work and what works in order to improve and become better. Now i see failing as a lesson and every mistake as an opportunity to grow and become better.
My Plan: Instead of dwelling on the mistakes and failures, I see it as a valuable lesson and see what i can improve and become better. Next is to always celebrate small wins... it is through the small wins that ultimate success comes from. For me as a business owner, sometimes it can be really difficult and mistakes happen... but i've come to realize that it is part of the process and journey to learn to persevere and determined to succeed.
Take Fitness More Seriously and Eat More Healthy
Keeping fit has always been my cup of tea... i like to exercise most especially jugging, brisk walking and rope skipping. However, it's not something i do on a consistent basis. The benefits of keeping fit and staying healthy cannot be overemphasized. For someone who spends most of the time on the desk and laptop designing... i really need to start taking my fitness routines more seriously this year and also eating more healthy as both go hand in hand. I like food and I also like a lot of junk foods... which is a huge problem for someone who wants to take fitness more seriously. For me, i know it will be difficult but i believe in baby steps to achieve the bigger goal.
Reasoning: I'm not looking to achieve the perfect body or become a nutritionist... all i want is to exercise more and be consistent and ensure I eat a lot more healthy foods like vegetables and fruits. It is all about baby steps which adds up over time to be fit enough and help the body stay healthy.
My Plan Starting with little things like drinking more liters of water daily, ensure that i reduce the amount of junk foods I eat will go a long way. After a long day of work, ensure that I incorporate movement after sitting for a long time... even a 10 minutes walk or dance around the room will also go a long way in helping me achieve my fitness goals this year.
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Planning to grow learning along the way is progress, additional options such as photography is rewarding when people enjoy what you do. Perfection is not attainable, this you learned early which is going to stand in good stead growing small business.
Keeping fit and healthy taking breaks regularly is a must.
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Yea, Perfection is not attainable in reality
One persons perfection may be waste of time to the next. No Straight lines in nature 😇
I agree with you, the idea of perfection is a mirage and that we don't live in a perfect world, it's great your approach with the photographs for your creations, as well as the skills of stepping out to expand, learning to say no, and accepting that failure is part of life's journey, it's very valuable, thanks for sharing,
!LADY
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